White men lose to demographic change

Whites-only GOP meets its demographic destiny

The creaking noise you hear? It's the sound of conservative white men trying to fight off change--and failing

By Rich BenjaminI have traveled this country extensively, before and during the election campaign, speaking to whites about their political values, most recently in various swing suburbs in Ohio the weekend before the vote. The vast majority of straight white men I encountered were reasonable, thoughtful voters. And here’s an irony: Much of the GOP—think Romney, Mourdock, Akin—cling to a political narrative according to which white male voters are “conservative” and “minority” voters are “liberal,” and where white male voters are self-sufficient and everyone else is dependent. It’s exactly this form of white-on-white racial profiling, a fear of the future, that produced the election’s outrageous comments about unions, the poor, rape, women, minorities and the like.

Why did conservative straight white men self-destruct so spectacularly this election? Perhaps because, in trying to secure the votes of other white men, they failed to notice that these white men have mothers, daughters, gay relatives and/or friends who are racial minorities; and that other white men are suffering economically; and that straight white men can also embody the country’s dramatic change? The cheap, divisive, nativistic, racialized ways that conservative leaders divvy up the electorate has now come to spook them. It’s a vicious loop: What this political narrative does is to fuel a further sense of embattlement and decline among disenfranchised straight white men.And:Like whiteness itself, once stable, reliable institutions are perceived to be “broken”: the nuclear family, the classroom, the “border,” the economy and the very nature of work. Little wonder all the venom flew as conservative straight white male candidates flailed while facing a dramatically changing country and electorate.

And now the Republicans should realize it is their own party that is broken. The politics of alienation is not an agenda. If such politics cannot win during such a tenuous economic backdrop, it’s unlikely to ever again.And:This election unfolded against this backdrop, what I call “The White People Deadline”: 2042. As this cultural “time bomb” ticks, fear mounts over a perceived loss of whites’ raw power—demographic, social, economic and political. So the debates raged on, including over women’s reproductive rights. Often racially coded, these contraceptive and abortion political clashes are a proxy debate for whites’ demographic viability. The political parties scrambled to consolidate their appeal to white voters even as they scramble to compensate for the decline of white voters. A new white upper class and a declining white lower class are diverging so vastly in core values and behaviors, writes Charles Murray in “Coming Apart: The State of White America, 1960-2010,” that they “barely recognize their underlying American kinship.” Murray’s much-discussed tract essentially yokes a decline of social values and of “whiteness” to an entire demographic’s “failure” to cope with a challenging future.

Coming apart? That doesn’t just describe the widening gulf between the prospects of rich and poor whites. It describes the firewall straight white conservatives are trying to erect against the future. The hapless candidates railed away against their sense of decline, marching to defeat at the polls.

“The white establishment is the minority. People want things.” What things does O’Reilly, the rickety sage of straight white men, mean? Clean energy? Immigration reform? Reproductive rights? Forward-thinking healthcare? Marriage equality?

The lesson for conservatives isn’t to fight harder against the change. It is to surf it. The GOP not only failed to diversify its base; it needs to rethink its assumptions about straight white men in the first place.America: Love it or be left behind

Obama can only do so much: Angry older whites have to decide if they want to secede from our multiracial future

By Joan WalshRepublicans will not go gently into that bad night, and thus we are hearing a range of reality-denying reactions, some of them flat out crazy. We’ve seen Rove’s deranged explanation for his party’s shellacking by what John Judis and Ruy Teixiera identified a decade ago as “the emerging Democratic majority:” Obama suppressed the white vote, Rove insists, primarily by running a negative campaign against Romney (John Kerry would like a word with you, Boss Rove). Let’s walk through a few others:

Obama’s emerging Democratic majority consists of slackers and moochers who just want things.

“People feel that they are entitled to things and which candidate, between the two, is going to give them things?” Bill O’Reilly said during his Tuesday self-pity party. “The white establishment is now the minority….The demographics are changing. It’s not a traditional America anymore.” A majority of Americans, O’Reilly opined, “want stuff. And who is going to give them things? President Obama. He knows it, and he ran on it.”

The self-satirizing Ann Coulter declared “It’s over. There’s no hope if takers outnumber makers,” reprising the failed VP nominee Paul Ryan’s Ayn Randian depiction of the American divide. Rush Limbaugh declared, “I went to bed last night thinking we’re outnumbered. I went to bed last night thinking we’ve lost the country. I don’t know how else you look at this…Conservatism, in my humble opinion, did not lose last night. It’s just very difficult to beat Santa Claus,” continuing the theme of the Obama coalition going to the polls for handouts.

That “the white establishment” built the modern social welfare state (albeit mostly for white people) is lost on O’Reilly, Coulter, Limbaugh and their ilk. That whites make up the vast majority of “takers” is likewise lost on them. But not on uber conservatives like Charles Murray, or the National Review’s dyspeptic hater Mark Steyn. “The fact is a lot of pasty, Caucasian, non-immigrant Americans have also shifted,’ and are very comfortable with Big Government, entitlements, micro-regulation, Obamacare and all the rest—and not much concerned with how or if it’s paid for,” Steyn wrote Wednesday.

No doubt a lot of the “pasty” folks Steyn talked about voted for Mitt Romney, since the red states are the new welfare queens, sucking more from Big Government than they provide in taxes. Don’t expect white GOP voters to process that contradiction in the early stages of grief, however.

The emerging Democratic majority can’t provide Obama a mandate without more white voters.

It’s not only GOP hacks who are saying stupid things about the white vote. Two days before the election Politico’s Mike Allen and Jim VandeHai declared that Obama’s problem with whites might make it hard for him to be the president of all America. “It’s possible,” the pair intoned darkly, that Obama “will get a lower percentage of white voters than George W. Bush got of Hispanic voters in 2000″ (he didn’t). Then they lowered the boom:

“A broad mandate this is not.”

Really? Let’s review. Obama won 93 percent of African Americans, 71 percent of Latinos and an astonishing 75 percent of Asian Americans, a group that used to split between parties. He won a majority of Catholics, Jews and Muslims as well as the religiously non-affiliated (he only lost white Protestants.) He won women and young people. The only group he lost was white people, and particularly older white people and extremely particularly older white men.

Does Obama have really have a problem attracting broad support? Or would the problem belong to the stubborn minority bloc that won’t vote for him, no matter what he does? Do the math, lads.

Racism behind the vote

If you think this voting trend--white men for conservatives, everyone else for liberals, is some sort of demographic fluke, think again. It's fueled by the bigotry of white men who fear women, minorities, and gays for roughly the same reason. Namely, a loss of power, control, and manhood--which are basically the same thing to the men in charge.

Here's a smidgen of the voluminous evidence on conservative racism:

Obama and the Death of White Power

David Leonard looks at how the President's re-election is invigorating a new wave of bigotry

By David LeonardThe re-election of Barack Obama to the office of President of the United States prompted a wide range of hateful reactions. From tearful Romney supporters to enraged bigots, the prospects of an African American leading the nation for another four years sent many within White America into panic mode or what I like to call “WDD:” White Delusional Disorder.

Teenagers took to twitter to hurl racial slurs without concern for the blowback; college students at Ole Miss and Hampden-Sydney (among others) took to the streets to voice their anger. In displays of violence usually reserved for sports celebrations, or disgust over an early bar closing, White males made their prejudices clear, hurling racial epithets and rocks with little fear of consequence. As editor Jamilah Lemieux said of those on twitter “the fact that there are so many people willing to publicly express these views…is troubling.”

Predictably, much of the chatter has focused on individual reactions, imagining racism in terms of emotion, anger, and frustration. The media’s shock and awe is not surprising given its failure to shine a spotlight on the resurgent White nationalism since 2008 and persistent racial inequality in the United States. Worse yet, the media has consistently portrayed racism as extreme in nature--the extremely young, the extremely bigoted, the extremely Southern, the extremely uneducated, and the extremely low-class. But most of us know that it is more common than any newspaper may have you believe.

The anxieties, anger, and outrage weren’t so much about backlash against liberal values, but what Obama’s victory revealed about the nation. There was a clear, alarming message about demographic shifts and waning White male control. According to Keisha Bentley-Edwards, “The anger wasn't only about President Obama and his re-election. It was overall frustration at the emerging power of diverse people in this country.”Clueless Racist Tweeters Reveal the Degraded State of Right-Wing Discourse

By David NeiwertAs Karoli and Blue Texan have been observing today, the fever swamps of the American Right are, predictably, coming completely unhinged over the re-election of President Obama. This is especially true the farther you move from right-wing pundits out to the conservative base--where the hatred of Obama is bubbling up a fresh heaping helping of steaming racism.

See, for instance, the gallery of racist tweets put together by Jezebel this week. Go ahead, spend a little time there. Then come on back, get a shower, and let's talk about it.

The leading states from which these tweets emanate are Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, North Dakota, and Utah. Now there's a big surprise.

What's shocking and disturbing about these tweets is just how many people out there reflexively and thoughtlessly indulge in outright and outrageous racism--and then express surprise that they're accused of being racists!

Indeed, the pervasiveness of this response indicates just how degraded Americans' understanding of racism has become--mainly because, whenever it raises its head now, the right-wing media shouts down and belittles anyone who calls it out. So now there are millions of people out there who think that there's nothing particularly racist about using racist slurs.Like other conservatives, Bill O'Reilly wasn't just describing a demographic trend. He was admitting what I and others have been saying for years.

Namely, that "traditional" America means white men. That losing to Obama means white men are losing to women, minorities, and gays. That scares the bigots who think they're superior and deserve to rule. They hate Obama for robbing them of their "birthright."



For more on conservative racism, see Majority of Americans Are Racist and Conservative Admits Welfare-Bashing Is Racial.

Lakota girl imitates stereotypical images

Cultural Appropriation: A Different Perspective

By She the Bear (Britt Reed)I have reached out as a young child and throughout the course of my life to learn about my cultures. However, when you are removed, the media reduces your perception of the 500+ individual tribes and cultures to five tribes: Cherokee, Sioux, Navajo, Apache, and Mohawk. These five complex cultures get even further reduced down to the appearance of what I would now call the dominate-society’s-tacky-rendition-of-plains-culture.

Removed, I had little access to legitimate representations of Lakota culture and Choctaw culture. Being ignorant, while fiercely proud of being native, I took every representation of Native Americans in the media and let them become me. After all, in my mind, costumes, like the ones sold in Halloween stores and portrayed in the old western films, told me that this is how my ancestors dressed. If I wanted to be Native, then I need to dress that way, talk that way, act that way, and (dear god) I better also be sure my hair was straight, just like those Natives on TV and the rest of the media. When you are removed, and there is no one there to tell you what is legitimate and what is a stereotype. How are you to know? I can tell you that the American public schools definitely will not tell you. Popular media, as we know it right now, will not tell you. Dr. Phil cannot tell you.

I am now nearly 24 years old and have been able to reconnect with native communities. I have been told by a native social worker, that it is impressive that I have been able to do so at all—given that many children adopted out never are able to reconnect to Native communities. I know the toll that Native American costumes and the cultural appropriation of native cultures being sold in stores do. I know how the stereotypes that those costumes perpetuate can screw up someone that has been removed physiologically and stunt their growth. Too many times have I had to attempt to weed through what was real and what was a stereotype in my quest to reconnect as a Lakota and as a Choctaw Woman. These images make it harder.Comment:  For more on the subject, see Boutique Lookbook's Stereotypical Fashions and Aubrey O'Day as Indian Princess.

Below:  Tiger Lily from Peter Pan.

Rogers saved Curtis's candidacy

An article on Will Rogers's political reporting offers one especially interesting anecdote: when one Indian rescued another.

The Political Wit and Wisdom of Will Rogers

By Steve Russell1932 Republican Convention, Chicago

The next day, Rogers found a political story he cared about: “Well, got some scandal for you today, for it wouldn’t be a Republican convention without some sort of undercover ‘finagling.’ They are out now to throw poor old Injun Charley Curtis off and get another vice president.… Their alibi is that he is too old.… Well, they knew a few months ago how old he would be about now.”

Rogers went on to suggest that the people out for Curtis’s head explain it this way: “We are in the hole and we got to try and dig up somebody that will help us swing some votes. It’s not your age, Charley… You got to be the goat, not us. So any one we can think of that can carry the most votes we are going to nominate ’em, be it Charley Chaplin or Amelia Earhart. You been a good Injun, but its votes not sentiment we are after this year. So long, Charley, take care of yourself.”

Two days later, Rogers complained again: “Poor Charley is to be tomahawked in the back…just like they took the country from the Indians.… ”

When the movement to dump Curtis failed, Rogers claimed credit, probably correctly: “I saved my ‘Injun’ Charley Curtis for vice presidency. The rascals was just ready to stab him when we caught ’em. So it’s the same old vaudeville team of Hoover and Curtis.”Comment:  For more on Will Rogers, see Will Rogers, Native Superstar and Will Rogers Educational Website.

Obama wins again!

My tweets and retweets on Election Night 2012:

It's a given that Romney will lie in his concession speech. He'll say he supports the president and wishes him well.

News flash: If the election is too close to call, the Supreme Court's conservative five are ready to invent a reason to give it to Romney.

Sherman Alexie: "Obama will win easily. Media is just trying to create reality show drama."

Someone needs to reinterview the Bronco Bamma girl and tell her our long national nightmare is finally over.

Ezra Klein: "Right now, all the data we're getting in tracks state polling over the last week. if that holds, it's bad news for Romney."

Obama ahead 51-49% in Florida with almost 2 million votes counted. If he takes Florida, it's all over, folks. #ICTMNVote

Third-party candidates getting 1-2% of the vote, with Johnson in the lead. Could make a difference in some states. #ICTMNVote

Obama takes Pennsylvania. Gonna be over soon. If he takes OH, VA, FL, and CO, can we call it a landslide? Or at least a mandate? #ICTMNVote

Elizabeth Warren wins in MA. Will she be the only Native in the Senate, or what? Will she answer ICTMN's questions now? #ICTMNVote

Based on all the trends, I'm calling it for Obama. It's all over but the vote counting. Four more years of hope, change, and the status quo!

Matt Yglesias: "If your candidate says something insane and repugnant about rape, the electorate has a way of shutting the whole thing down."

Ezra Klein: "Early to draw political lessons, but if you're a GOP candidate and you've got a theory about rape and abortion, maybe keep it to yourself?"

Tim Wise: "And THIS is what community organizers do, conservatives…they own your pathetic asses. Welcome to the future. Suck it up or leave the country"

My deep thought on the 2012 presidential election. pic.twitter.com/QHpsN2UX



Put away your coat hangers, women. You won't need 'em for another four years. #RepublicanWaronWomen #ObamaWins

Another deep thought on the Republican attitude toward women and women's issues. http://qkme.me/3ro80u via @quickmeme



Indian Country Today: "NBC News projects Obama re-elected. Ohio is his. #ICTMNVote"

Tim Wise: "Good news? Romney got crushed & the right has 2 question their certitude about God's will. Bad news? At least 4 more books from Ann Coulter"

Joan Walsh: "The Obama mandate: His re-election is a victory for using government in tangible ways to improve people's lives http://www.salon.com/2012/11/07/the_obama_mandate/"

Bill Maher: "Tea Party has now cost the Republicans 5 senate seats. My next donation is going to them."

Glenn Greenwald: "The GOP has been crushed in 3 out of last 4 elections. #BushCheneyLegacy"

Thank you, George W. Bush. Your wars, disasters, and recessions didn't just give Obama four years in office. They gave him eight years.

Obama should appoint Romney his jobs czar. That would throw Republicans into a tizzy!

Thank you for reelecting President Obama, women and minorities.

To Mitt Romney and his family members: Get a job, you lazy bums!

Unlimited spending, voter suppression, rigged machines...none of that can overcome people power. The 99% decide who's president, not the 1%.

For more on the presidential campaign, see Green Party's VP Candidate Is Chippewa and Ryan:  Obama Threatens Western Values.

Boutique lookbook's stereotypical fashions

Monday Eyeroll

By MeaganA boutique in Colorado sent me the lookbook for some items they'll be carrying this fall. As many brands often do, they were seeking press from bloggers. The lookbook contained the following images:

Sigh. Completely not okay.

Here is the letter I sent them:

Hello (redacted),

Thanks so much for thinking of me, and for sending me your lookbook. Unfortunately I have to admit that I am extremely disappointed in the use of a headdress and Native imagery on your models. This blatant display of reappropriation is at best, culturally ignorant and insensitive, and at worst, is a cringeworthy example of racist caricature.

As a half-white female, I don't know that it is my place to comment on issues surrounding Native peoples. But since this landed in my inbox, I do feel compelled to speak up (while acknowledging that I do come from a place of racial privilege). Additionally, marginalized people should not have to bear the sole responsibility for speaking up against their oppression; as white people, we should listen to them and help educate others about their concerns when we can, as best we can.

The use of the headdress, poorly-rendered war paint, and teepees in your look do not add any significant creative aspects in your lookbook--these symbols are too loaded with history to ever be considered something other than what they are. By devaluing these symbols into fashion accessories (on white models, no less), you have effectively presented an unfortunate stereotype of a culture that to this day, continues to endure hardships that you and I will never know. That fact is very important! White people have historically treated Native Americans with absolute cruelty, what could possibly give us the right to steal what few traditions they have left? It is not "exotic" or "edgy" or "ironic." You are not "paying homage" to their history. You are making a racist mockery of their culture. And for what? To sell some Helmut Lang sweaters?

Please consider these articles, written by Native writers, on this very topic:

http://nativeappropriations.blogspot.com/2010/04/but-why-cant-i-wear-hipster-headdress.html

http://apihtawikosisan.tumblr.com/post/17269241821/an-open-letter-to-non-natives-in-headdresses

I am offering you the benefit of the doubt; it is entirely possible that you were ignorant of these issues before you proceeded with the photoshoot, and genuinely had no desire to offend anyone. Still, ignorance is no excuse. I urge you to reconsider and remove these photos. Read the links I have sent you. Please do the right thing.

Best,

Meagan

And:Update 11/5/12 9:58 CST: The boutique has replied to me. Here is their email. I almost want to add a trigger warning for blatant racial ignorance. The bolded portions are those that are particularly troublesome:Dear Meagan,

I was forwarded your email by (redacted), our Director of Marketing and PR, and was absolutely saddened by your interpretation and judgement of our recent lookbook shoot. I am so incredibly sorry that you felt we were mocking Native American culture; this could not be farther from our intentions, which I will explain below. Please do not be so quick to make conclusions or negative judgements of others, however, without knowing our own background or context.

These were not fake tipis or a fake landscape made as a "set" for our shoot... We shot our lookbook in our home state of Colorado at the Plains Conservation Center, which is a non-profit that is south east of Denver, which educates children and the public about Native American culture and causes. Our thinking was, why not take advantage of the fact that Native design is so trendy in fashion right now, and utilize that in order to help promote this non-profit and bring awareness to actual Native causes that people can donate to. We worked with the PCC on the shoot and it's concept, and we sent out PR on their behalf--that was essentially the trade arrangement we made with them. They were very happy to have the support and were incredibly kind to us in return.

Additionally, one of our main staff who helped conceptualize the shoot and who was there on location is half Cherokee. I myself absolutely love and adore Native American culture on a very real level, and have practiced certain aspects of Native American religion since I was young. My mother actually runs a non-profit that provides assistance to impoverished members of the local Native American community in Boulder, Colorado, and so I grew up around friends who were of Native American descent my whole life. I loved the idea of honoring this culture in our shoot because it rang a very deep, personal bell with me. If you find this insulting that I, as a Caucasian woman, would revere another culture that I feel a connection to, then I am sorry you have such a negative, non-inclusive perspective.

In short, our intention was to honor and pay homage to the culture in a very real way, not in a way that was meant to be exploitative or hokey. I can understand if you are upset that a white model was wearing a headdress, and if this in particular was what offended you, I do apologize. That is a touchy thing, which I understand, however let me further explain the art direction/higher-level concept behind the whole shoot in defense of that choice.... The concept for the shoot was 'early homesteaders meet Natives on the plains, in a re-imagined, fictional time period that has elements of both past and future,' as a representation of the fact that modern American culture is a melding of many different cultures. As such, our female model played the part of both sides--Caucasian homesteader, and Native American. Again, this was not meant to mock or create a caricature, but rather pay homage to the plains on which our store actually sits, and the mixed cultures from which it came.

In any event, once again I apologize if our shoot offended you. Please know that our intention was only to honor the culture and to even help promote its causes in a very real and authentic way. Hopefully you can choose to be open-minded and culturally inclusive enough to see that.I haven't replied yet, because I received this email today and haven't had time to finish my reply. As soon as its finished and sent to them, I will post it here. Quickly though, I'd like to challenge you all to take a look at Cultural Appropriation Bingo and see how many arguments in this email fit into it!Perhaps sensing that this lame-ass explanation failed, the boutique tried again:UPDATE 7:21PM 11/6/12: So while the nation (and myself!) are enthralled by the election returns, the boutique has removed their photos from their website and issued a statement of apology:We are deeply apologetic if any images from our recent lookbook photo shoot were construed to be culturally insensitive. Our intentions could not have been farther from this, and came from a positive place. We had hoped that working with the Plains Conservation Center would help to build awareness for this local non-profit; we did not intend to hurt or offend a culture for which we have a deep respect and admiration."

We mean this from the bottom of our heart. No one involved ever intended to hurt, offend, disrespect, mock or insult anyone. We have removed the images from our website and will not be using them moving forward.Comment:  The stupidest line here has to be this:The concept for the shoot was 'early homesteaders meet Natives on the plains, in a re-imagined, fictional time period that has elements of both past and future,' as a representation of the fact that modern American culture is a melding of many different cultures.In other words, real Indians no longer exist, so it's okay for white people to imitate fantasy Indians indistinguishable from a million stereotypical depictions. Nice.

For more on the subject, see Aubrey O'Day as Indian Princess and Lana Del Rey in a Headdress.

Navajo art to fund rape documentary

The art of "Innocence Lost," and found

By Greg YeeShiprock-based Navajo artist Keno Zahney is using his art to touch lives.

Working in collaboration with the Navajo artists' collective Art of the People, Inc., Zahney is helping to raise awareness of a brutal rape and beating.

The victim: his niece, Charlotte Hansen, 21.

"I don't really expect anything in return," he said. "It's just my way of helping."

Zahney's painting will be auctioned to raise funds for a documentary about Hansen's ordeal and road to recovery called "Innocence Lost: The Charlotte Hansen Story."

"As far as the painting, I designed it," Zahney said. "I started it and asked Art of the People for help. We've been getting requests for prints and posters."

In August 2002, Hansen was kidnapped from her home in Midvale, Utah by a family friend, said documentary's director, Jared Richardson.

Richardson was also one of the officers involved in Hansen's case.

"She was dragged out to the backyard and raped," he said. "He took a sledgehammer and broke every bone in her face. It was my police dog that apprehended the suspect."

Hansen survived, but the recovery process was particularly trying.Comment:  For more on using Native art to combat problems, see "Got Death?" Drinking Awareness Contest and REDress Project.

Marathon cancellation disappoints Lakota runners

Lakota runners disappointed at race cancellation

Despite the devastation of Superstorm Sandy, five Native American runners from tribes in South Dakota had little doubt that the New York City Marathon race would go on as scheduled Sunday.

By Kristi EatonDespite the devastation of Superstorm Sandy, five Native American runners from tribes in South Dakota had little doubt that the New York City Marathon race would go on as scheduled Sunday.

But early Friday evening, after picking up their bib numbers and getting in a quick 2-mile run, the team arrived back at their hotel to find out the marathon run had been cancelled by Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

"It felt like a hit to the gut," Jeff Turning Heart Jr., told The Associated Press by telephone. Turning Heart Jr.—along with Amanda Carlow, Nupa White Plume, Alex Wilson and Kelsey Good Lance—had been planning to run the 26.2-mile race to raise money for a local youth shelter. They also intended to be positive role models for kids on the Pine Ridge Reservation, which is overrun with stories of suicide, alcoholism and violence.

Bloomberg canceled the race after fielding criticism that his "race must go on" stance was insensitive to a city where the death toll climbed past 40 due to the storm.The Lakota Five: Young Pine Ridge Marathon Runners Leave a Lasting Impression on New York City

By Cliff MatiasOn Sunday morning Team One Spirit joined a few hundred other runners and climbed aboard a New York ferry heading toward one of the hardest hit boroughs in the city, Staten Island. The team along with their coach ran across the island to Midland Beach which was almost completely destroyed in the hurricane. The runners grabbed masks gloves and shovels and began going house to house helping residents dig their homes out of the decay left by the storm. They could have stayed dry and clean in one of the distribution areas handing out supplies but these Natives come from a place where helping your community is a daily duty. “We come from a hard place to live” says Coach Pine. “Many of our elders go without heat, electricity and hot water every day, we know what is needed in situations like this.” And so they did, clearing a complete basement of moldy sheet rock and rugs in 30 minutes. As they helped a Chinese husband and wife who barely spoke English the man turned and asked “Who are these people?” A Road Runner staff member replied, “They are American Indians, they come from a community which is the poorest place in America.” The man replied “I am honored they would come to help me.” Jeff Turning Heart said, “At first I was sad the race was cancelled but coming here and seeing all these people working together made me feel proud to be part of it. We know how to survive in desperate situations and have the skills to assist these people in need. I know I am stronger from this experience.”

The runners never imagined they would be coming to New York City to help another community in need but as One Spirit founder Jeri Baker said “These young people are now heroes in their community and an inspiration for our youth. That is what this trip was all about. I think that part of our mission was accomplished. There will be other races to run and goals to reach but helping people in need is priceless.”Comment:  For more on the subject, see Lakota to Run New York Marathon.

Below:  "Nupa White Plume, helping Hurricane Sandy relief efforts." (Cliff Matias)

Green Party's VP candidate is Chippewa

Green Party VP Candidate Talks American Indian Roots & Real Action for the Future

By Rob CapricciosoGreen Party vice-presidential candidate Cheri Honkala says her Chippewa heritage is a part of her biography that few people this year have asked her about during her run for the White House—even though it has influenced almost every aspect of her life’s work and many facets of her personal life, too.

From fighting for environmental justice to struggling with extreme poverty to coping with an early childhood rife with domestic violence to having a brother who committed suicide, Honkala says her story mirrors that of many American Indians today.

It’s a reality that few mainstream politicians share, and she believes it is important for Native people to support candidates who understand them from personal experience.

“The Democrats and Republicans have thrown indigenous people down the stairs time and again,” Honkala says. “It’s only when we say ‘no, this is enough, I am leaving this abusive relationship’ that we can truly be free.”

But can a third party, itself struggling for widespread recognition, really be a beacon of light for Indian country?

Honkala says yes, and shared her strong thoughts on the two-party system, compromised values, and tribal involvement in politics in a pre-election interview with Indian Country Today Media Network.And:How does this ‘warrior’ philosophy influence your politics?

It’s time we go back to our roots where we live communally and collectively. We need to focus on the real priorities in life. We need to stand up for what is right. That is what the Green Party platform is all about.

Are there many Native Americans in the Green Party?

I think that Winona LaDuke [who is Anishinaabe and who ran as a Green Party vice-presidential candidate with Ralph Nader in 1996 and 2000] really paved the way. She brought in a lot of Natives to the party. Other folks, including myself, have worked hard to connect with tribal communities. I hope to see in the years to come an even bigger increase because neither the Democrats nor the Republicans have similar values to most indigenous people. The Greens value the Earth and the climate. They value taking care of each other. They value culture and sovereignty.

It is a matter of mass education [to get more people involved], which is quite difficult in this era of corporate funding of American elections. The Democrats in particular have worked hard to keep away Third Party ideas, especially among tribes. They have paid lip service to issues that many tribal citizens care about, like climate change, but they haven’t taken strong action on it.Comment:  Writer Cappricioso told me Honkala had nothing but good words for LaDuke, while LaDuke hadn't commented on Honkala. I'm guessing LaDuke doesn't want to talk about her Green run for vice president since she endorsed Obama.

For more on Winona LaDuke, see Winona LaDuke Changed Our World and Warrant Issued for LaDuke.

Below:  "Jill Stein and Cheri Honkala sit outside the debate in Hempstead, Long Island."

"Chosen people" = conquerors and killers

‘Because the Bible tells me so’: Manifest Destiny and American Indians

By Steven Paul McSloyIn 1492, therefore, when the Christian kings of Europe, in Justice Marshall’s words, “conducted some of [their] adventurous sons into this western world,” they believed, as a religious matter, that whatever they found belonged to them as the “chosen people.” The entire Western Hemisphere was terra nullius–“vacant land.” If beings were found there who seemed human, but were not Christian, then they were, in the words of one colonial writer, “little superior, in point of Civilization, to the Beasts of the Field,” a formulation neatly tied to the mandate in the Book of Genesis that the sons of Adam shall have dominion over “every beast of the field.” (Genesis 2:19)

Being practical men, as they could not realize upon their “extravagant and absurd” claims, as Justice Marshall called them, for fear of military defeat by the Indians, and, in their own way, perhaps even concerned for Native people, the Europeans recognized that Native people had some rights to occupy and use their land. But it was nonetheless clear to the Europeans that Native people did not own their land and thus that the Indians had no power to sell it or otherwise to convey title. The land was owned, and title was held, by the Christian king whose explorers “discovered” it.

The English Crown’s charters to Cabot, Gilbert and Raleigh were nearly identical to the Pope’s Bulls in commissioning expeditions to “heathen and barbarious lands.” Pilgrim and Puritan sermons were replete with references to God’s covenant with them, and their divine mission, their “errand into the wilderness,” their “manifest destiny.” Such a belief is all the more remarkable given the Pilgrims’ famous dependence upon Indian peoples for food and the means to farm, celebrated today as Thanksgiving. This was rationalized by the Pilgrims through the belief that Indian hospitality was due not to the Indians but to the workings of the Pilgrims’ God. As historian Wilcomb Washburn noted, “[w]e read frequently such statements as ‘God caused the Indians to help us with fish at very cheap rates.’” The Puritans called America “Canaan,” meaning the land of promise–God’s promise. Civilization moved west, and with it the Cross, even going out into the Pacific as Hawaii was subdued by the United States Marines. A year later, President McKinley told the nation of how it was revealed to him in prayer that it was America’s responsibility to bring Christianity to the “little brown brothers” of the Philippines.Comment:  Short version: God authorizes Christians to be genocidal maniacs. You can't argue because it's in the Bible, people!

Native pundits and non-Natives like me have made these points many times before, of course. We'll continue making them until everyone gets it.

For more on the subject, see Unitarians Repudiate Doctrine of Discovery and US Policy = Seeking Terror-Tory.

Below:  A good Christian soldier.

First movie theater on Pine Ridge

1st movie theater opens on Pine Ridge reservation

By Kristi EatonMembers of the Oglala Sioux Tribe will finally be able to see the latest Hollywood blockbuster without leaving the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

The reservation's first movie theater opened Friday after three years of planning and construction. Previously, residents of the reservation who wanted to see a movie in the theater had to travel to nearby towns like Martin or Gordon, Neb., a difficult endeavor for those who don't have reliable transportation.

This week, residents will be able to travel to Nunpa Theatre in Kyle to see two first-run flicks—"Pitch Perfect" and "Paranormal Activity 4." The word "nunpa" means "two" in Lakota.

Owners say the theater will offer some much-needed source of entertainment on the rural reservation that spans about 4,000 square miles in southwestern South Dakota.Comment:  For more on Lakota business, see Lakota Casket Company and Economic Development on Pine Ridge.

Ryan: Obama threatens Western values

Paul Ryan Says Obama Would Compromise 'Judeo-Christian Western Civilization Values'

By Shushannah WalshePaul Ryan squeezed in time on a four-stop, five-state day for a conference call with evangelical voters Sunday evening, issuing a warning about a second Obama term saying the president is putting the country on a "dangerous path" that compromises "Judeo-Christian, Western civilization values."

Evangelical leader Ralph Reed's influential group, the Faith and Freedom Coalition, hosted the call and Reed said "tens of thousands" of Evangelical Christians were listening in.

The GOP vice presidential nominee said in the "critical battleground states" it will make a "big difference" if people "are worried about…whether or not we're going to go down the path the president has put us on."

"It's a dangerous path," Ryan said on his opening remarks on the call, which has been rescheduled at least once. "It's a path that grows government, restricts freedom and liberty, and compromises those values, those Judeo-Christian, Western civilization values that made us such a great an exceptional nation in the first place."Translation: Ryan says Obama would compromise the tyrannical rule of white lords and bishops. Because that's what most of Western Civilization has been.

What Ryan meant

Here's what Romney and Ryan are really fighting for:

Who Are You Better Than?

By Pile[N]ow the way the cards were dealt 18 months ago [in 2008] has upset a huge segment of the population. They no longer know who they are better than. They are lashing out. And there is f*ck-all for a safety valve and it does run 24/7 in a perpetual echo chamber.

They say it is about "freedoms"...but they can point to no freedoms that have been lost over the last 14 months.

They say the Constitution is being destroyed, but when you ask them what parts of The General Welfare Clause or Congresses' power to regulate Interstate Commerce are being violated...they stand mute with rage.

They say it is about taxes...but they can find no drastic tax increases in the last 14 months.

Come to think of it, I don't really remember anyone getting speared with an assegai thirty years ago either. But that didn't stop people screaming about the danger.

And they say they want their Country Back.

Well, Bing-f*cking-O.

Now we have it. They want to return to a time and place where they at least knew who they were better than.

And the fact that most of this spittle is flying from the mouths of the poor, the semi-educated, the low information voter, and from By-God Dixie...well, that is only because it is your turn. A lot of the rest of the Country has already gone through this exercise 20-30 years ago. And the same spittle flew from the same confused lips when it was our turn.

So we don't look on Tea-hatists with scorn because they are alien and unfathomable. We do so because we recognize these very traits as ours and those of our neighbors. "All in the Family" wasn't the most popular show in the Northeast because Archie Bunker was despised. It was popular because he was comfortably familiar. But at least he was a character. Nobody tried to run him for President.Comment:  To sum it up, it's really about a black man's thinking he's better than "us."

In other words: The white man is no longer on top! The women, gays, and Muslims are coming! Man the barricades! They're out to destroy our civilization!

For more on the subject, see Majority of Americans Are Racist and Republicans:  White People Own America.

"Indians in Bikinis!"

Another day, another costume controversy. From FAIR Media on Facebook:Halloween is over, now we must contend with ThanksTAKING season.

This has got to stop.

Here is what they posted with their ad: "We've got a REALLY fun way for you to spend the night before Thanksgiving--it's our "INDIANS IN BIKINIS" theme night with lots of barely-dressed natives dancing, $1 drinks for everyone from 9pm-11pm, $500 in Target Gift Cards given away throughout the night, plus a RIDICULOUS, DISGUSTING, and TOTALLY PERVERTED "STUFF A TURKEY" contest hosted by ARICA LOVE!"

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/YBORCLUBS

Email gbartampabay@aol.com
Website http://www.yborclubs.com/
http://www.twitter.com/GBarTampa

And the inevitable reactions:I think my eyeballs just melted from the awfulness.

Ridiculous.

UGHHH.

One of the worst Photoshop jobs ever...even in the already low standards of gay bar publicity....

Oh my goodness...this never stops does it?

OMG...Take it off!!!! The war bonnet, that is!!! How rude!!!

I can't believe this. I just can't wrap my mind around what these people were thinking they would accomplish with this kind of sick crap. Yes, Despicable!This controversy was short-lived and didn't take off like some of the others. Less than 24 hours later, "Richard" noted that the image was gone. FAIR Media responded:You are right, Richard--it is gone from their page. There is no statement at all. We'll have to find out if they have cancelled the event, or changed the theme for the night--or have they just removed a pic from their FB page to avoid criticism.

We'll let you all know what we find out.Comment:  For more on the subject, see What's Wrong with No Doubt's Video and Halloween = "Socially Acceptable Racism."

Adam Beach promotes NWT tourism

Actor Adam Beach to promote the N.W.T.Actor Adam Beach will be the new face of tourism in the Northwest Territories.

He is now part of NWT Tourism's new marketing plan.

Television shows based in the territory, like Ice Pilots and Arctic Air, have increased the territory's profile.

Beach—the star of Arctic Air—could help attract even more travellers.

“I think a lot of people are missing this opportunity to see this part of Canada, this part of people that are out here. And I feel grateful that I am chosen to be the one to show the beauty of NWT, they say ‘Spectacular NWT’,” he said.
Comment:  For more on Adam Beach, see Adam Beach Foundation and Film Institute and Mini-Review of Path of Souls.

Pix of Autry's Arts Marketplace 2012

This year I attended the Short Play Festival presented by Native Voices at the Autry. Before the event, I checked out the American Indian Arts Marketplace and the Autry Museum. Here are some photos of my day:

American Indian Arts Marketplace--November 3, 2012

For more on Native Voices, see Native Voices Presents Distant Thunder and Walking on Turtle Island at the Autry.

Below:  Actor/artist Michael Horse.

What's wrong with No Doubt's video

Several critics explain what's wrong with No Doubt's Looking Hot video. First, the general problems:

An Open Letter To Hipster Celebrity DoofusesDear Doofuses:

Just because Johnny Depp was recently adopted by the Comanche while staring as Tonto in a remake of The Lone Ranger filmed in Navajoland doesn’t mean the rest of you get a pass into Hollywood's Indianville. I realize you all adore Depp and secretly envy his Tonto costume--crow hat and ghostly war paint and bear skins (oh my!)--and its transport into some faux Hollywood Indian cultural authenticity. But that envy doesn’t mean you all get to play Indian now.

You probably do not realize that No Doubt’s reunion was marred when they posted a music video on YouTube for their first single, “Looking Hot.” Gwen Stefani, the lead singer, donned herself in a ridiculous Indian costume--a femme version of Depp, no doubt. After a flurry of criticisms from Native people, the band pulled the video and issued an apology on their website.And:No Doubt’s apology echoes that of The Gap, Paul Frank, and so many others of your rank (except Depp) who have recently treated Native culture and identity like costumes, been called out for it as fundamentally racist and disrespectful by Native people, and then attempted to retreat back into positive public relations through an apology.

Let me tell you something about apologies.

They mean nothing. They mean nothing especially when serving as deflections of responsibility for your actions and as a blame of others--teachers who taught you to be proud of manifest destiny (The Gap), a temporary lapse in judgment (Paul Frank), or bad advice from "Native American friends and Native American studies experts at the University of California" (No Doubt). And lest we not forget that, all the while, these apologies lament the hyper-sensitivity of "some" Natives (as if Natives got over it your costume could go on).

The reason you had unchecked pride in America's past as some success story of progress and/or indulged bad fashion sense is because not only do you think all real Native people are dead, their cultures and identities frozen in a past you can treat as fashionable accessory when not a museum relic, is that you believe you are in control of America's history as your own. And because you are in control you can rewrite it at will, to serve your purpose and tell your story: you are, after all, the great embodiment of America's evolution into a progressive, multicultural society.Cultural Appropriation 101

By Micah Collins-SibleyEveryone can culturally appropriate. Let me repeat. Everyone can culturally appropriate. Everyone has a culture of which they are not members and because of that, they have that power and privilege to pick and choose.

So what’s the big deal about cultural appropriation anyway? As long as you’re not actively inflicting violence on a minority group, it’s okay, right? As long as you’re not using racial slurs, all is well, yeah? The answers to those questions are: Everything. No. And no.

Cultural appropriation turns the realities of different groups of people into entertainment or into fashion statements. It groups widely diverse communities into one stereotyped image. It takes away the sacredness of a tradition and turns it into the next fad. It tells those cultures and those people that their way of worship, their way of dressing, their music, their language are acceptable as long as they’re fun or pretty. That way, no one has to think about what those things mean, and what injustices and violent acts have been done to people simply for being who they are. Cultural appropriation continues to normalize this idea that one image or one person can represent and homogenize an entire group.

There’s a difference between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation. Cultural appropriation is taking aspects of another culture and using them without permission or understanding. Cultural appreciation, on the other hand, involves learning about another culture and the significance it places in certain objects. Cultural appreciation is being invited into a culture’s practices to observe, participate and learn. However, just because you’ve been invited to a Native American tribe’s open powwow at some point does not make it okay to wear moccasins made by non-Native Americans or wear a war bonnet you have not earned. And taking photos or wearing elements of a culture you don’t belong to because “you like how it looks” or “it’s fashionable now” isn’t cultural appreciation, it’s appropriation.


Violence against Native women

Second, the specific problem of violence against Native women:

No Doubt's "Looking Hot" Video was No Doubt, A Big Mistake

By Linda TioleuAs many of you well know, the popular band No Doubt recently released their new video for the single “Looking Hot” on You Tube. It featured a beautiful Gwen Stefani decked in hipster-ized Native American garb, along with a preponderance of other misappropriated (mostly Plains Indian) imagery. The band quickly removed the video and sent out an apology--for which I give them much credit. However, I also hope they publicly announce the identities of their so-called “consultants and experts” who somehow decided that this video was a good idea. Or as my dear colleague and freelance writer, Ronya Hoblit wrote,

"I am in awe of the fact that, clearly, not one, single person involved with this video said, 'Wait a minute, this might not be our best idea.' Instead, someone sat down and said, 'How many ways can I disrespect a whole bunch of cultures that I don't understand and don't want to take the time to do so because that would get in the way of producing a really offensive video?'"And:There can be little doubt that No Doubt (hehehe) was responding to the current “hipster” trend popularized by companies like Urban Outfitters, who created great controversy with their line of “Navajo” clothing, inspired by Native American cultures. There can be no other explanation for their actions than a simple, misguided attempt at caving in to the mainstream. The song has absolutely nothing to do with Indigenous peoples (the primary lyrics being the masterfully written “Do you think I’m looking hot? Do you think this hits the spot? How is this looking on me, looking on me?”). But, I’m being overly sensitive, right? I shouldn’t have a problem with the fact that Gwen and her bandmates are connecting those lyrics to Native American women, to me. Right?

I won’t repeat all of the statistics on Amnesty International’s recent student of the sexual exploitation of Native women, but I will repeat the fact that Native American and Alaska Native women are 2.5 times more likely to be raped or sexually assaulted than the average American woman, and that 86% of these violent acts are committed by non-Native men. Additionally, a U.S. DOJ study found that over 34% of American Indian and Alaska Native women will be raped in their lifetime.

These statistics frighten me--not just for my own safety, but for the safety of our mothers, aunties, sisters, and daughters. No Doubt’s hypersexualization of a woman dressed as an American Indian further perpetuates and reinforces the misconception that Native women are the sexual property of mainstream media and the general populace. We absolutely cannot sit idly by and see Native women--who are the foundation of our people, culture, spirituality, and community--thrown out to slaughter by anyone--let alone by Hollywood’s greed machine.An Open Letter to No Doubt: Not so hot...I watched the video ready to be disappointed and maybe a little annoyed. I watched it thinking "It's just going to be one of those Urban Outfitters, hey look at me on a horse and in a tee-pee. Look at me dancing around with a wolf-dog and wearing feathers and I'll just think 'Gwen, you're about 8 months behind looking dumb dressed up in a headdress. You're FOLLOWING Urban Outfitters, when you USED to be a trendsetter." But then I saw the video and what struck me mostly was the implied violence against Native peoples. And especially the implied violence against Native women.

Here's the thing. Violence between "Cowboys and Indians" was brutal. Maybe we become desensitized, and judging by many of the comments on the video when it first came out, people are desensitized. They think "what am I supposed to be offended by Cowboys and Indian movies now too?" Yes, you probably should be. But what you should really be offended about is the way in which this violence, perpetrated as a means to exterminate a people, is continually portrayed as a game. The scene in the music video was eerily familiar to many of the massacres of Indian people. They shoot at them point blank, and then drag the woman away. She's a spitfire, she's tough. They don't put her in jail the way they do the other Indian they captured, instead they tie her provocatively to the wall and proceed to ogle her as she writhes around.

And this is all one thing, but when you consider that at the same time she's singing her song which has her repeat the line "Do you think I'm looking hot" over and over again while they are doing this, coupled with the "go ahead and stare and take a picture please..." it just becomes too much. In the words of one guy I know it's "traumatizing."

"But it's just a video! It's art! Get over it."

Yeah, I've heard it all before. So let me repeat what I've said before. This video, in fact, glorifies trauma. It erases real, living Native peoples. It forgets that "those people" could be watching. I quite honestly think that this is what happens when someone approaches a subject without much historical or even contemporary knowledge about the subject or without consulting community members. So I ask--could I remake this video shot for shot but instead use a young girl who is being dragged away from her family to a concentration camp, tied up against a wall, mocked by Nazi soldiers and then she asks "Do you think I'm looking hot?" Could I do the same with black face and slavery? Would there be less of a "calm down" response to those portrayals? (The truth is, I don't plan to find out.)

The implied violence of this video is startling. I do a lot of my work on gender violence in Native communities. I can suggest a LOT of reading and even some movies if you'd like to know more. Sexual violence against Native peoples is a part of the continuing genocide of Native peoples. It manifests itself in portrayals of Native peoples in popular media. It ties to the way that people feel about Indian peoples. Andrea Smith writes--"As a consequence of this colonization and abuse of their bodies, Indian people learn to internalize self-hatred, because body image is integrally related to self-esteem. When one's body is not respected, one begins to hate oneself. ... Native peoples internalize the genocidal project through self destruction."Comment:  Good point connecting Johnny Depp's portrayal of Tonto to this video. When Depp dresses up in "leathers and feathers," he normalizes the behavior for everyone else. Millions of people will see the movie and get the wrong idea: that if you wanna be an Indian, just put on a funny costume.

For more on the subject, see Sexy Chief vs. Jana and "PocaHotAss" Doesn't Offend People?

2012 Aboriginal Peoples Choice winners

Aboriginal performers honoured

Winnipeggers do well at awards ceremoniesThe people have spoken.

And the people really like Don Amero. The Winnipeg singer-songwriter took home two Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards: one for Aboriginal Male Entertainer of the Year and another for Best Pop CD, for Supernation by Indian City, the band Amero plays in with former Eagle and Hawk guitarist Vince Fontaine.

Other local winners include Tracy Bone and rock band Bruthers of Different Muthers, who took home hardware in two different ceremonies, Thursday night at the Fort Garry Place grand ballroom and Friday night at the MTS Centre. Both events took place under the umbrella of the Manito Ahbee Festival.

Bone won Aboriginal Songwriter of the Year and BODM got the nod as Best New Artist at Friday night's televised event hosted by actor Lorne Cardinal. BODM, who played the awards show along with Indian City, also were acknowledged with a special Most Outstanding Manitoban Award on Thursday night.

Louie Goose--leader of Louie Goose and the Mackenzie Delta Band--was given the 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award.Comment:  For more on the subject, see 2010 Aboriginal Peoples Choice Winners and 2009 Aboriginal Peoples Choice Winners.

Below:  "LightningCloud members MC RedCloud (left) and Crystle Lightning won the Best Rap/Hip Hop CD award." (Joe Bryksa/Winnipeg Free Press)

University of Alberta's two-spirit conference

U of A conference looks into the world of two-spirited people

By Elise StolteFor Dr. James Makokis, being native and gay means coming from a long line of valued healers.

Aboriginal people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered call themselves two spirited. “There have always been a place for two-spirited people in our communities,” says Makokis, a local doctor and a keynote speaker for at a conference this weekend on two-spirited people.

The University of Alberta is hosting the conference, which it believes is a first for a major research university in Canada. The conference is also connected to a one-man play, Agokwe, which runs until Nov. 11 at the Catalyst Theatre. In Agokwe, actor Waawaate Fobister remembers his own first love interest and heartbreak on a northern Ontario reserve.Comment:  For more on LGBT issues, see Transgendered Natives Face More Discrimination and Fictional Characters Make Acceptance Easier.

Below:  "James Makokis grew up on the Saddle Lake Cree Nation and now lives in Edmonton. He works three days a week as a family physician in the southern Alberta Siksika reserve." (Ed Kaiser/Edmonton Journal)

Inuit sculptor at NMAI

Smithsonian to feature sculptures and carvings of Arctic artistAbraham Anghik Ruben has become the first Inuk sculptor to get a solo show at the Smithsonian's American Indian Museum in Washington, D.C. The carver—who works in bone, stone, ivory and bronze—says his work reflects his roots in the North and Inuit core belief systems.

"For myself, it's an exhibition that I've been waiting 40 years for. It's taken 40 years to get to this stage in my life, and I'm extremely pleased with the events and the effort that went into making this exhibit," Ruben told CBC News in an interview last week.

The exhibit Arctic Journeys/Ancient Memories: The Sculpture of Abraham Anghik Ruben opened in early October and continues until January. It centres around 23 of his sculptures, which combine Inuit and Norse mythology in their story-telling.Comment:  For more on Alaska Native artists, see Alaska Native Comic-Book Artists and Alutiiq Mask Carver is USA Fellow.

Below:  "Abraham Anghik Ruben (Inuvialuit, b. 1951) Salt Spring Island, British Columbia, 2010 Whale skull, Brazilian soapstone, and cedar; 176.0 x 207.0 x 62.0 cm. Collection of Kipling Gallery, Ontario, Canada."

No Doubt's Looking Hot video

The long line of recent offenders against Natives--Paul Frank, the Gap, Lana Del Rey, the nun at Kateri's canonization, Aubrey O'Day, Ricki Lake--continues with a music video from No Doubt. Here's a gushing appreciation of the video:

Yeehaw! Gwen Stefani dresses as a Native American, cavorts with a wolf, and ends up handcuffed in No Doubt's new Wild West themed music video

By Eleanor GowerAs a fashion designer, pop star and all-round trend setter, Gwen Stefani is never one to do things by half measures.

And never more so than in No Doubt's latest video for their song Looking Hot, where she dresses as a Native American Squaw.

The 43-year-old star wears her blonde hair in a long straight style, complete with a headband and single feather and is first seen handcuffed outside the sheriff's office in the Wild West.

The star has a white Indian headdress around her hair and sports fringed white trousers, while two No Doubt band members point a gun at her.

The video is no longer online--more on that later--but this article gives you the video's story in words and pictures.

Unlike the previous offenders, this wasn't just a single image or costume. It was a whole narrative based on Plains stereotypes and violence against Native women. People reacted quickly to the affront.

Gwen Stefani and No Doubt Release Latest Music Video, Its Stereotypical Native Theme Garners Criticism

By Vincent SchillingOn November 2, the second day of Native American Heritage Month, Gwen Stefani of No Doubt released her latest music video for “Lookin Hot” on YouTube. In the video Stefani wears a series of American Indian styled outfits while appearing in a series of situations such as being handcuffed and tied to a wall, dancing in and around teepees and fighting cowboys.

Soon after the video was released, a backlash on Twitter erupted and dislikes jumped from 60 to over 700 in a few hours. Several YouTube viewers made comments in frustration and support of the video.

One comment on YouTube stated: “This video is very insensitive and very discourteous. Stefani, you have disrespected and slighted the entire Native American people with your counterfeit portrayal of our heritage. The way you pranced and frolic around, dressed in so called Native American attire, is a mockery of our way of life and culture. You have also debased all Native American women. The word squaw is very insulting and demeaning to me and all Native American women.”

Some addition comments on a Facebook post:This video is RACIST. I am deeply disappointed in Gwen who I have always loved. Playing Indian is an act of asserting racial power, I don't think she wants to be that person, and yet here she is doing it.

This article is about Halloween costumes but also applies to "artistic" appropriation of Native stereotypes. If my comment surprises you PLEASE read this:

http://nativeappropriations.blogspot.com/2011/10/open-letter-to-pocahotties-and-indian.html

WTH! C'mon! Get a clue Stefani! Cultural misappropriation!!!

Not to mention that Native American regalia looks nothing like that. It looks like she's wearing a bikini top with a skirt. No Native woman would dress like that. They respect their culture and wear it with pride.To their credit, No Doubt reacted quickly to the criticism:

No Doubt pulls racist 'Looking Hot' video and apologizes for cultural appropriation

By Carina Adly MacKenzieIn response, No Doubt has removed the video from their YouTube channel and issued an official statement apologizing for its content. Read the full statement below.

As a multi-racial band our foundation is built upon both diversity and consideration for other cultures. Our intention with our new video was never to offend, hurt or trivialize Native American people, their culture or their history. Although we consulted with Native American friends and Native American studies experts at the University of California, we realize now that we have offended people. This is of great concern to us and we are removing the video immediately. The music that inspired us when we started the band, and the community of friends, family, and fans that surrounds us was built upon respect, unity and inclusiveness. We sincerely apologize to the Native American community and anyone else offended by this video. Being hurtful to anyone is simply not who we are.

That was more or less a straight apology, so that's good. But it left us wondering who these "Native American studies experts" are. I find it hard to believe that Native academics would approve these stereotypes.

More comments from another Facebook post:Jesus what is wrong with people?! At least they didn't try and defend it and pulled the video immediately. Why do people want to "dress up" like us anyway? We're not some fictionalized characters from a story book. Dumb asses.

Disappointing to see but we should've known. Gwen just started in reverse order (global then local) by exploiting those Harijuku girls on her solo album. after being inspired (biting) their style. And marking it up 500% for her L.A.M.B. line...

Gwen is the biggest culture vulture. I understand being influenced by different cultures, but Gwen is the embodiment of "cultural appropriation." I was also taken aback by that part of the response "we consulted with Native American experts...."

How could they ever think this wouldn't be offensive? This absolute mockery of our culture has got to stop.Anyway, the bottom line is that online activism got the video removed in just a few hours. Once again it proves that protests work.

For more on the subject, see Research Proves Mascots Are Harmful and 1491s on Redface and Blackface.

"Not an Indian" sign for Brown

Controversy Over Haverhill Scott Brown ‘Not An Indian’ SignA political sign is sparking controversy in Haverhill.

A businessman put up a sign on his building that reads, “Re-elect Scott Brown, Lt. Col US Army, not an Indian.”

He says the sign refers to Elizabeth Warren’s claim that she’s part Native American.

But the Greater Haverhill Civil Rights Commission is demanding the sign be taken down, saying it’s insulting to Native Americans and casts a negative light on the city.

“What if it read, “Vote for mitt Romney, not the black? Or vote for Barack Obama, not the Mormon? This particular sign does convey hate, commission member Rabbi Ira Korinow said. “It just doesn’t belong in our community,”

But John Caruso, the man who put up the sign, is adamant that the sign stay in place.

He says the sign wasn’t meant to be offensive to anyone other than Elizabeth Warren, and it’s about freedom of speech.

“If someone feels that I have insulted them, I apologize for hurting their feelings. But I think you need to look at the sign more closely and understand it doesn’t have anything to do being an Indian. It has to do with honesty and integrity, explaining out that one person has honesty and integrity and the other person has demonstrated she does not,” he said. “If I had one regret, it’s that I probably should have put ‘not a fake Indian, alluding to the fact that Liz Warren did claim at one point in time to be an Indian.’”

The Brown campaign has reportedly requested that Caruso take down the sign. Citing free speech, the city says it doesn’t have the power to order Caruso to do so.

Comment:  This sign is a Freudian slip that reveals what Caruso and his ilk really think.

Conservatives like them dislike "elitists," liberals, and minorities with a passion. They consider them part of the 47% who are takers, not givers. Conservatives think these people sit around mooching off the government and dreaming up ways to take money from "real Americans."

Caruso's slip was posting "not an Indian" rather than "not a fake Indian." To Caruso and company, it's a valid criticism either way. If Warren is a fake Indian, she's dishonest. If she's a real Indian, she's also dishonest. Because Indians are part of the 47% who supposedly want free handouts from the government.

This kind of thinking is behind the racist war whoops, tomahawk chops, and ethnic slurs directed at Warren. Again, being an Indian and pretending to be one are roughly the same thing to her critics. Either way, they believe she's outside the American norm. She's a skulking thief, attacking people with affirmative action claims, stealing jobs from their rightful owners.

Indian or fake Indian?

Whether she's an Indian or not makes only a minor difference. When her claims went unsubstantiated, conservatives could vent their racist rage at her. Since she seemed to be white, they could mock her with racist gibes. Like countless hipsters in headdresses, they could claim their racism was "ironic" or "satirical."

If she had substantiated her identity, conservatives would've had to halt the overt racism. They would've had to disguise their racist rage. Instead, they would've taunted her with the same insinuations they used against Obama. She doesn't share "our" values...doesn't understand America...has a "foreign" outlook...etc.

We saw how this conservative racism played out in the Bono Mack case. Bono Mack called her Latino opponent un-American simply for supporting Indians against the mainstream culture. That's similar to the criticism Obama has received, and it's what Warren would've received if she'd proved she was an Indian.

So thanks, Caruso, for revealing what white conservatives really think. Vote for the candidate who's "not an Indian" and doesn't support them. Vote for white people--Mitt Romney, Scott Brown, Mary Bono Mack--"like us."

For more on Elizabeth Warren, see Brown Is "Bay State Birther" and My Thoughts on Brown vs. Warren. For more on conservative racism, see Majority of Americans Are Racist and Conservative Admits Welfare-Bashing Is Racial.

Short plays about Native athletes

Native Voices Festival Focuses on Short Sports Plays

By Ed RampellLos Angeles is home to North America’s largest urban Native American population and one of its largest theater scenes. The Autry National Center’s Native Voices combines both elements, offering plays written and performed by indigenous playwrights and actors. As part of the Autry’s annual American Indian Arts Marketplace, which features 180 indigenous vendors and a filmfest presented by the Sundance Institute, the theater company is featuring a Short Play Festival. This year’s theme, “Indians in America: Native American Athletes Take The Field,” honors the centennial of Jim Thorpe’s gold medal triumphs at the 1912 Olympics.

Twenty-seven aboriginal bards across the continent responded to the second annual Short Play Festival’s call for scripts. Native Voices’ co-founder and producing executive director Jean Bruce Scott explained that the criteria for participation required that the plays had not been previously performed and that they not last longer than circa 15 minutes. And the playwright had to be descended from North America’s pre-European original settlers (although the characters and themes of their pieces did not have to be indigenous).

Six plays—three by first timers, two by intermediate playwrights and one by a highly produced writer of plays—were selected for inclusion in the festival by a national reading panel of Native American theater artists and community members. They’ll receive staged readings at the Autry’s 199-seat Wells Fargo Theater at Griffith Park. Immediately afterward, a panel of judges is giving the Von Marie Atchley Excellence in Playwriting Award, a $1,000 cash prize, to one of the authors.

Native Voices bills itself as the “only Equity theater company dedicated exclusively to developing work by Native American playwrights” in the US. Established in 1993, six years later Native Voices became part of the Autry, an American West museum that had been co-founded by the silver screen’s singing cowboy, Gene Autry.A Theater Festival Examines the Thorny Issues of Native Americans in Sports

By Jenny LowerThe joys and struggles of life as an Indian athlete--and everything in-between--is the subject of the second annual short play festival from Native Voices at the Autry, the country's only Equity theater company devoted to producing new work by indigenous playwrights of North America. Six writers--including Tibbetts and Dennis--will showcase their work in staged readings Nov. 3 as part of the Autry's American Indian Arts Marketplace. The theme celebrates the achievements of Jim Thorpe, a Sac and Fox member who won gold medals in both the pentathlon and decathlon at the 1912 Olympics 100 years ago.

The plays' abbreviated format is intended to encourage new writers who might otherwise be too intimidated to submit, says Jean Bruce Scott, who co-founded Native Voices in 1993 with her husband, Randy Reinholz. She'll be watching carefully for stories with development potential, and help award the festival's thousand-dollar cash prize.

Tibbetts, who now holds a doctorate in counseling, has written his second play, about a former athletic legend who encounters the up and comer expected to beat his long-standing record. Tibbett's grandfather captained the track team at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School only a few years after Thorpe attended, and Tibbetts himself set a high school record in the mile that stood for 20 years.

In Dennis' Home of the Running Brave, an Olympian who wants to compete under his tribal nation's flag clashes with the Games committee. The veteran performer, whose one-man show Tales of an Urban Indian toured the U.S. and Canada, says the script tackles the thorny issues of identity many Native people face. "Are you wrong for wanting to be an American? Do you have to give up being an American to be a Native citizen?" he asks. "Can you be both?"Comment:  For more on Native Voices, see Native Voices Presents Distant Thunder and Walking on Turtle Island at the Autry.

Below:  Darrell Dennis.

Serpent Mound vandalized with crystal objects

Vandals admit muffin-crystal-thingie assault at Serpent Mound

By Alan JohnsonA group of “light warriors” buried what may be hundreds of small muffinlike resin objects, embedded with aluminum foil and quartz crystals, at Serpent Mound with the intent of realigning the energy of the ancient Native American site in Peebles.

The Ohio Historical Society and Adams County Sheriff K.R. Rogers haven’t arrested anybody yet in what they consider a serious vandalism case. But the people who apparently did it made it easy by laying out their actions in an extensive YouTube video where they acknowledge they “did some work” in September at the site in Adams County to help “lift the vibration of the Earth so we can all rise together.”

State officials aren’t seeing the light, however, and expect to file charges soon against three to five people who they say vandalized and desecrated the 1,000-year-old site that is on the National Register of Historic Places. The perpetrators face second-degree misdemeanors, punishable by up to 90 days in jail and a $5,000 fine.

So far, only three small buried items, known as “orgonites,” have been located. But there could be hundreds on the site, said George Kane, director of historic sites and facilities for the Ohio Historical Society. “Adding things to the property is just not acceptable,” Kane said. “This is very serious.”Comment:  For more on Indian mounds, see Kincaid Mounds Vandalized and Weed Killer Sprayed on Indian Mound.

Ricki Lake as Indian princess

Talk-show host Ricki Lake is the latest to wear an offensive Indian costume:



As usual, Facebook activists nailed her on the problems with this getup:Ricki mocking or using sacred Native American symbols and culture, is just not a good image for you.

What the hell, girl?! Ricki...did the thought of cultural appropriation cross your mind AT ALL? I adore you for all the work you've done for birth rights, so I can't tell you how much this saddens my heart!

This smacks of cultural appropriation and white privilege. And it's shameful that so many might see this as unproblematic.

Gross. Will you be donning blackface for next Halloween??!?

Oh FFS. Seriously? That Chinese import get up is very offensive. It is not accurate. We do not appreciate you donning it, out of "respect" for "those people." We are tired of being portrayed this way. You are a public figure. What you do sets a standard for the public. Please think next time Ricki. We hate to see people dress up as fake natives. There are various reason why, but the reason you need to know mostly is, we hate it. We are not the stereotype that everyone puts out.

I really thought Ricki lake knew better. Disappointing.

She should just bite the bullet and apologize. Take the opportunity to educate people on why this is hurtful.

I have a suggestion for next year: she should dress up as Sarah Silverman from her blackface episode. That would be okay too, right? It only takes one person to dig up and romanticize an insulting past and affront us collectively by re-appropriating our culture(s) back into a Hollywood stereotype. This is how oppression works. And it doesn't help American Indians as we continue to fight against the probability of violence and rape. I feel so desperately disappointed that you would use your celebrity status to feign ignorance at the expense of so many. Just because it was okay in the 1970's does not mean it's okay now...so like I said, how about blackface next year? Would that be okay? And if the answer is 'no', then I ask 'why not?'

I'm so happy so many found this outfit as in bad taste as I did. Too bad there is still no apology from Ricki....

Good grief. Ignorance abounds. How can people be so incredibly ignorant and culturally limited? What an idiot.

Ungh. This isn't cool, Ricki. Please don't do this again.Comment:  I guess some people thought Lake was imitating Cher because of the long black hair. I don't think Cher ever wore that particular outfit. I'd say Lake was imitating a generic "Indian princess," not Cher.

But what if Lake was imitating Cher? If Cher wore a racist costume and Ricki copied it, how does that make it okay? News flash: Two wrongs don't make a right.

Note also that she's associating with a trio of fantasy figures. This implies exactly what Indians complain about. Namely, that costumes relegate them to the distant past, or to a fantasy realm of pirates, cavemen, princesses, fairies, and ghosts. Costumes imply Indians don't exist in the same modern world as the rest of us.

For more on the subject, see Halloween = "Socially Acceptable Racism" and Company Pulls "Sassy Squaw" Costume.

Native American Heritage Month 2012

Presidential Proclamation--National Native American Heritage Month, 2012As the first people to live on the land we all cherish, American Indians and Alaska Natives have profoundly shaped our country's character and our cultural heritage. Today, Native Americans are leaders in every aspect of our society--from the classroom, to the boardroom, to the battlefield. This month, we celebrate and honor the many ways American Indians and Alaska Natives have enriched our Nation, and we renew our commitment to respecting each tribe's identity while ensuring equal opportunity to pursue the American dream.

In paying tribute to Native American achievements, we must also acknowledge the parts of our shared history that have been marred by violence and tragic mistreatment. For centuries, Native Americans faced cruelty, injustice, and broken promises. As we work together to forge a brighter future, we cannot shy away from the difficult aspects of our past. That is why, in 2009, I signed a bipartisan resolution that finally recognized the sad and painful chapters in our shared history. My Administration remains dedicated to writing a new chapter in that history by strengthening our government-to-government relationship with tribal nations while enhancing tribal sovereignty and tribal self-determination.

Because we know that the best ideas for tribal nations come from within, my Administration has continued to engage tribal leaders in developing an agenda that respects their expertise on matters affecting American Indians and Alaska Natives. In collaboration with tribal nations, we are making critical investments to improve health and education services, create jobs, and strengthen tribal economies. In July, I was proud to sign the Helping Expedite and Advance Responsible Tribal Homeownership (HEARTH) Act into law, which will enhance tribal control over the leasing of Indian lands. Last December, I signed an Executive Order to expand educational opportunities for Native American students. It aims to preserve Native languages, cultures, and histories while offering a competitive education that prepares young people to succeed in college and careers. And under the Tribal Law and Order Act and the Safe Indian Communities initiative, we are continuing to work with tribes to build safer communities. My Administration also supports the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Many longstanding Native American legal claims against the United States have been resolved, which will help accelerate the restoration of trust in our relationships with tribal nations. The settlements that came out of these claims--including the historic Cobell and Keepseagle settlements, as well as more than 50 settlements in cases alleging Federal mismanagement of tribal trust funds and resources--will put an end to decades of litigation and help drive economic development in tribal communities in the years to come.

In partnership with tribal nations, my Administration has addressed injustices and built new avenues of opportunity for American Indians and Alaska Natives. As we celebrate National Native American Heritage Month, let us move forward in the spirit of mutual understanding and mutual trust, confident that our challenges can be met and that our shared future is bright.November Is Native American Heritage Month
Tribal Organizations Call for Nation to 
’Celebrate Native American Voices’The following is a statement from the National Congress of American Indians in celebration of Native American Heritage Month.

November is Native American Heritage Month and dedicated to celebrating and honoring the contributions of American Indians and Alaska Native people, cultures, and governments. Today, leading local and national Native organizations and institutions announced this year’s shared theme for the month; “Celebrating Native American Voices.”

The organizations are calling for the people and the governments of the United States to join Native people in celebrating the current and historic role the Native American voice has played in the United States. Central to the group’s efforts is www.NativeAmericanHeritageMonth.org, an online resource for learning more about this year’s events and theme.

The theme for the 2012 Native American Heritage Month is described in the following way:

“November is Native American Heritage Month and it’s an important time to celebrate the current and historic role the Native American voice has played in the United States. It’s a time to celebrate the modern and traditional cultures, people, and societies of Native American peoples. It’s also an opportunity to highlight the important contributions of Native peoples and the shared histories between tribal nations and other communities.”Comment:  For more on the subject, see NBC's Heritage Month Promos and Heritage Month and Tribal Summit.

Boy Scouts initiated Indian days

Native American Heritage Month has a surprising origin

By Richard ThorntonThe Boy Scouts of America was the first institution in the United States to recognize a day that honored Native Americans. Dr. Arthur C. Parker, a Seneca Tribe member, was the director of the Museum of Arts and Science in Rochester, NY. From the turn of the century onward he campaigned for special recognition of the indigenous people’s many contributions to North American civilization. He finally convinced leaders of the recently formed, Boy Scouts of America, to set aside a day for honoring the “First Americans” in 1915.

That same year, E. Urner Goodman, a 25 year old Scoutmaster in Philadelphia, accepted the job of camp director of the Philadelphia Boy Scout Council’s Treasure Island camp on the Delaware River. He implemented Native American themes in the camp, based on the characters in Jame Fenimore Cooper’s “Last of the Mohicans.” At the end of their time at the camp, the boys would vote on a select few scouts who they thought best projected the ideals of “Scouting.” Those so honored, were inducted into an Indian lodge with elaborate Delaware Indian rituals.

By 1921 Goodman’s special recognition program had spread to some other parts of the nation, and was known as the Order of the Arrow. It was originally more of a popularity contest than a measure of Native American traits. Apparently, no American Indians were members of the Order of the Arrow in its early days. Nevertheless, this special fraternity within the Boy Scouts of America has continued to honor the indigenous heritage of North America for almost a century.

In May of 1916, again at the behest of Albert C. Parker, the State of New York declared American Indian Day. Illinois legislators designated American Indian Day in 1919. Soon several states began designating the fourth Friday in September as American Indian Day. Several states continue to have a Native American Day, but it has never had the status of a national legal holiday.Comment:  For more on the subject, see NBC's Heritage Month Promos and Heritage Month and Tribal Summit.

Below:  "The cultural traditions of Indigenous Peoples across North America are far more diverse than portrayed in Hollywood movies. This drawing is of the Stomp Dance of the Muskogean tribes of the Southeast."

Maria the Chumash play

Play featuring Chumash stories and songs to be staged in SBTraditional stories and songs rarely heard outside of the Santa Ynez Chumash tribe will be part of an original play titled “Maria,” which will be performed by tribal members at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 4, in the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History’s Fleischmann Auditorium.

These first-ever performances for the general public are presented by the Elders Council of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, in conjunction with the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History.

The play is based on the life of Chumash ancestor Maria Solares, who was born in 1842. She left a legacy that continues to be of importance to Chumash families today and to the studies of California Native American history. She’s responsible for much of what’s known about the Samala language.

Solares collaborated with anthropologist John P. Harrington. The Samala-English Dictionary, published by the tribe in 2007, notes, “Sometimes it seems that Harrington took down every word Maria muttered.” Harrington supplemented his written documents with audio recordings, originally using wax cylinders. The cylinders include Solares singing traditional tribal songs.

The play weaves chapters of Solares’ life with tribal stories and songs. Some of the tribal members in the play will be performing the roles of their ancestors.Comment:  For more on the Chumash, see Beau Bridges Fights for Chumash and Boy Scouts Build Chumash Village.